They Said Goodbye Once Before
by of.hope.trust.and.pixie.dust
Summary: The chandalier was taken down, the room seemed vacant, to reflect the feelings her body was echoing.


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Icicles were forming on her windowpane. The moonbeams reflected off the ice and made the edge of the room glow somewhat peacefully. The room that would never change, had changed. Instead of her light blue walls, red took its place. No curtains were up, so there stood an empty windowframe. The chandalier was taken down, the area seemed vacant, to reflect her feelings.

The winter always brought back memories. Good ones and happy ones. No shadows would creep up. The snow would fall lightly in Central Park. The ducks by the pond would soothe her. She would always be able to escape. Now the fantasies she once had were crushed. The rescue would never come. She no longer wanted to be the damsel who liked distress. So where was her perfect prince charming?

She was utterly alone. No one was worried about her. Her family went to Spain for Christmas and New Year's. Of course they wanted her to go with, but it didn't snow in Spain. It snowed in New York. She told them she already had plans and would celebrate the holidays with friends, busy with shopping, partying, and cheer. So far that had been a lie. Serena had enough family problems to keep her to busy for the next decade. Chuck and her broke up 3 months ago without much heartache. They were no longer and no more tears would be shed for him. They remained friends, planners, and commrades, the way it was suppose to be since the beginning. And Nate, when she finally stopped thinking about him, he disappeared. Coincidence, hopefully.

So at midnight on a new Sunday morning in December that's date was forgotten, Blair Waldolf was going ice skating in Central Park. She took the shoe box down from the shelf in her closet and placed it in her oversized bag. Creeping softly down the stairs, she held her breath not wanting to wake Darota who would be full of questions. She stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the ground floor. Stepping out into the chilly winter air she decided to walk to the park.

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The lights were dimmed in his room. The thermostat was up to 80 degrees in the townhouse. He was watching the sports broadcast of the Yankees playing the Dodgers in California. It was the top of the 8th and the Yankees were leading 3-1.

Baseball is like life, he thought. Sometimes you strike out out, but if you get lucky you hit a home run. Everyone's happy when you win, but someone always has to lose. Nathaniel Archibald decided he must be the one of the losers in life. Always striking out, never destined to wear a World Series ring.

"This is silly. I don't even like baseball", Nate spoke aloud. He needed to stop the negative thinking before he caused some more pernament damage. Turning off the television without a second thought of who would win the game, he picked up his phone and texted Chuck.

**NATE:** Hey, wat's up?

**CHUCK:** I'm at the Victrola like every other Saturday night. Want to come? Or are you still sitting around moping about life.

Not wanting to give him the satisfaction, Nate decided to respond with an answer that would leave Chuck guessing.

**NATE:** No thanks I'm busy.

If only that were true. He hadn't been busy since the Truman's brunch last Sunday. After all he only went hoping to see her and without her appearing the day was a total bummer. Nate placed his phone in his pocket while ignoring the latest text from his best friend. He pulled on his winter jacket, and walked out of that tropical heat wave.

Walking aimlessly in the streets of New York, Nathaniel had no where to go.

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Lacing up her white skates with pink bows, Blair looked around the empty rink. It had closed up almost an hour and a half ago so there were tourists to get in her way. She had to jump the fence on the southern side of the rink to get in. She had done it so many times before she wasn't afraid of getting caught, but the sure excitement of breaking the rules never got old. If she was found she would be brought to the police department for entering private property, but the nightly skate was worth the risk. Starting off slowly in figure eights Blair remembered the first time she went ice skating with her dad at the age of 5.

_He held onto her hand as she moved slowly forward. "I can't do it, I'm going to fall. Let's go enjoy a cappuccino instead.", Blair spoke, her voice filled with confidence in the outcome of the situation._

_Harold laughed. "No I won't let you fall. Try moving your feet back and forth a little faster."_

_Blair followed his advice. It was working. A bright smile appeared on her face, one that couldn't be wiped off._

_A few minutes later she fell, and tears started down her face. "You promised you wouldn't l fall." _

_" I'm sorry, but Blair, it hurts to fall but it takes strength to pick up the pieces" her father explained._

Blair hadn't know the true meaning of that quote when she first heard it, but she had experienced it many times in the past months. And she was expericencing it once more. She just needed to gain the courage to move forward. Leaving ice skate traces along the ice was like letting go of the past, forgetting and forgiving.

"Hey." A voice echoed toward her direction. A voice she knew all to well.

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Nate started walking toward Central Park. A place where he could always get his thoughts into order. It was snowing and white flakes covered the sidewalk. Completly covering it. And when the snow meltedaway the sidewalk would appear again. And no one would miss the snow. Maybe that's what needed to happen to him. Maybe he needed to melt away the snow covering him and make his reappearence as the Golden Boy everybody loved.

That's what he would do. The last 2 years of his life would be erased. No one would mention it. Things would get back on path. He could finish freshman year of college with better grades. He could travel in the summer, maybe a sailing trip.

As he enter the park he saw a figure in the ice skating rink moving swiftly across the surface. "Must have jumped the fence", he thought smiling, remembering the times he used to do that with Blair. They would sneak out late at night in the winter and go ice skating here because it was her favorite sport. She would always complain about how high the fence was, but he would always laugh. They liked to imagine they were runaways escaping the pressures of the Upper East Side.

As he made his way over to the rink he made out the young girl in front of him. White skates with pink bows, chesnut hair partnered with her imfamous headband. It was Blair.

"Hey" he called over, causing her to stop petrified and look upward.

Who was he kidding. Everyone loved the Golden Couple.

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"Hi.. what are you doing here?" Blair asked curiously.

"Just walking around, nice night you know? I would ask what your doing, but that's pretty obvious. Breaking the rules again,Waldolf."

"Yes, well you know how I love the thrill Nathaniel." Blair responded. Her cheeks were flaming. She stood there unsure of what to do next. Nate jumped the fence and walked carefully onto the ice.

"I haven't seen you in such a long time. It so nice to see you,Blair."

"I've missed you, too. I was just.." Blair bit her tongue. No need to tell he see was thinking about him. Last thing she needed was to redevelop a crush on Archibald. " I was just leaving actually it's almost two." She turned around to fast. Her heel got stuck in the ice and she fell down on her rear. "Well that was embarrassing," she muttered.

"Are you okay? Here let me help you up," Nate spoke with true concern, but a crooked smile sneaked slyly onto his face. He offered her his hand.

And Blair took his hand like a drowning victim grabs a lifesaver.

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_Thanks for reading my first fanfiction. I'm actually really glad how this came out. So pleese review and have a great day :) ~Maree_

_I do not take credit or own Gossip Girl or the characters. _


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